Flight of Dragons(54)

Eva remained sitting, but her expression had changed. He caught her glance as it traveled down his naked body, and Balthazar fought to remain serious. “It feels like the episode has passed, thanks to you. Does everything look okay from where you’re sitting?”

He caught her by surprise. Her eyes widened for just a moment before she made a show of rising to her feet. “Everything looks—” She paused and licked her upper lip. “Good. Very good.”

Balthazar picked up the slight change in her scent, and he responded by approaching until he stood bare inches from her. The hint of musk made his nostrils flare, and he ached to caress her skin. “Do you mean that?”

He noticed the slight hesitation before Eva raised her hand and stroked his arm. “I should say that I’m glad you’re healed, but…other thoughts come to mind.”

Her fingers triggered a surge of blood through his body, and his cock twitched in response. “Such as?”

She took a deep breath, then stepped away.

His dragon growled a complaint, and Balthazar wasn’t happy, either. “What is it?”

Eva laughed, but an element of caution swirled within it. “I just came on to you, a guy who looked like a human torch only moments ago.” She shook her head. “I must be losing it.”

“Or maybe you like the danger. Is that a bad thing?” Balthazar closed the space between them again.

“You’re a shifter, and if that’s not hard enough to take in, you’re a dragon. You’re dangerous.”

“Only to my enemies.” He lifted her chin with a finger. “Never to you.”

He felt her tremble, but she didn’t back away this time. Balthazar kissed her gently. His flesh tingled as his lips moved slowly over hers, and his dragon spirit growled impatiently. But he didn’t want to scare her. Her tears touched his lips, and he raised his head to find her crying quietly.

His breath caught in his throat. He pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “Shh, elska,” he whispered. She made no sound, but her body shook with her crying.

They remained that way for a few minutes before she lifted her head and wiped away the tears. “I thought dragons told the truth,” she accused.

He wondered where that came from. “We do. I haven’t lied to you.”

“You couldn’t tell me about this?” She backed away and swept her arm across his body.

“It’s a little much to take in.” Eva’s sudden change in mood threw him off balance. “And you didn’t specifically ask what happens to me. I told you Bal and I fight for dominance. You didn’t need to know the particulars.”

“Consider yourself lucky that you’re not well, or I’d knock some sense into you.”

At least she had stopped crying. Instead, he eased his hands beneath her T-shirt. Her skin felt as silky as it looked, and his fingers trailed up until the curve of her breasts settled into his palms. His thumbs played with her nipples until they hardened. “Well, since I am injured, what would you prescribe?”

Her arms snaked around his neck as Eva stood on tiptoe to kiss him. She opened her mouth slightly, her invitation urging him to delve deep into her mouth and explore her sweetness that left him gasping for air when he pulled away.

Eva didn’t let go. She stared at him, her eyes black in the darkness of the basement. And he suddenly realized that the door at the top of the stairs had been left wide open. “You realize if Thorsson had discovered you left the door open, he would have locked it and left you down here to deal with me.”

“But he hasn’t.” Eva moved in close until her breasts pressed against his chest. It took everything in him not to rip her clothes off and make love to her on the floor. “Let’s go upstairs. You must be pretty tired.”

“Please say you’re coming to my room.”

She laughed quietly. “You’re persistent. You’ll need to get up the stairs first.” She grabbed the blanket from the cage and threw it over his shoulders. “Go on. I’m right behind you.”

He’d have to wait to get his hands on her. But as he got to the top of the stairs and reached for the door, a wave of dizziness hit him, and he fell to his knees.

“Shit. Don’t move,” she commanded. She took off into the house. “Thorsson!”

Moments later, Thorsson had slung him over his shoulder. “I can walk, damn you,” he growled.

His security guard wouldn’t put him down. Balthazar struggled, but Eva grabbed his arm. “Don’t be so stubborn.”

“Stubborn?”

“She has a point,” Thorsson agreed.